Safety latch

Abstract

A safety latch including a track channel and a slider plate. The track channel is structured to be secured adjacent a face plate of a latch bolt assembly of a door and to support the slider plate. The track channel presents a first latch bolt opening. The first latch bolt opening is sized and positioned such that when the track channel is secured to the face plate a latch bolt of the latch bolt assembly can be extended and retracted through the first latch bolt opening. The slider plate presents a second latch bolt opening and being is shiftable relative to the track channel between a first position in which the second latch bolt opening is aligned with the first latch bolt opening and a second position wherein the latch bolt is held retracted behind the slider plate.

1 . A safety latch comprising:
 a track channel; and   a slider plate;   the track channel being structured to be secured adjacent and overlying a face plate of a latch bolt assembly of a door and to support the slider plate in slidable relation to the track channel, the track channel presenting a first latch bolt opening therethrough, the first latch bolt opening being sized and positioned such that when the track channel is secured to the face plate a latch bolt of the latch bolt assembly can be extended and retracted through the first latch bolt opening;   the slider plate presenting a second latch bolt opening therethrough and being shiftable relative to the track channel between a first position in which the second latch bolt opening is aligned with the first latch bolt opening such that the latch bolt can be extended through both the first latch bolt opening and the second latch bolt opening and outwardly from the face plate to engage a strike plate and a second position wherein the latch bolt is held retracted behind the slider plate.   
     
     
         2 . The safety latch as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the slider plate further defines a screw access opening therethrough. 
     
     
         3 . The safety latch as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the track channel further defines two screw holes therethrough and wherein the screw access opening and the second latch bolt opening are positioned relative to each other such that when the screw access opening is aligned with one of the screw holes the second latch bolt opening is aligned with the other of screw holes whereby the two screw holes are simultaneously accessible. 
     
     
         4 . The safety latch as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the two screw holes are surrounded by a frustoconical portion. 
     
     
         5 . The safety latch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the track channel further presents a first u-channel portion and a second opposed u-channel portion, the first u channel portion and the second u channel portion being inwardly facing and spaced part to receive the slider plate therein and therebetween. 
     
     
         6 . The safety latch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the slider plate further comprises at least one stop tab engageable to the track channel extending outwardly from a first face thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The safety latch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the track channel together with the slider plate is sufficiently thin so as to fit between a closed door and a related door jamb. 
     
     
         8 . The safety latch as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the track channel further presents at least one stop tab receiving notch sized, positioned and oriented to receive the at least one stop tab therein. 
     
     
         9 . A method of releasing and securing a door comprising:
 opening the door at least partially;   maintaining or putting the latch bolt lock into a locked status;   inhibiting the latch bolt of the door from engaging a strike plate by manually depressing the latch bolt through a latch bolt opening in a slider plate and moving the slider plate in a first direction in a track channel such that the latch bolt opening is shifted relative to the latch bolt such that the latch bolt is held behind the slider plate whereby the latch bolt is inhibited from engaging the strike plate; and   releasing the latch bolt and securing the door by shifting the slider plate in a second direction opposed to the first direction such that the latch bolt opening is aligned with the latch bolt and the latch bolt is released and extended outwardly through the latch bolt opening whereby the latch bolt is engageable with the strike plate and the door is secured in a closed orientation by engagement of the latch bolt with the strike plate when the door is closed.   
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising attaching the track channel to a face plate of a latch bolt assembly of which the latch bolt is a part. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising aligning the track channel with the face plate of the latch bolt assembly such that a first set of fastener openings in the track channel align with a second set of fastener openings in the face plate and inserting fasteners through the first set of fastener openings into the second set of fastener openings. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising shifting the slider plate to a position wherein a first of the second set of fastener openings is aligned with and accessible through a screw access opening and a second of the second set of fastener openings is aligned with and accessible through the latch bolt opening.